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This is cool and this kid is obviously very smart and precocious, but I bought a lead test kit for under 10 bucks when I was concerned about the paint in my hou

This is cool and this kid is obviously very smart and precocious, but I bought a lead test kit for under 10 bucks when I was concerned about the paint in my house. Winning a science fair, great. Scholarship, great. Breathless articles about how this kid is changing the world? Probably setting them up for failure. edit: valid point that testing for lead in water is a much lower threshold than testing for lead in paint. I remain skeptical of the news coverage.

whipoodle 9y ago
Hmm. My take was more like, this is great and all but wouldn’t it be better if Americans didn’t have to test their water for lead?
- jerkstate 9y ago
  Well, somebody has to test water for lead, I think you're saying that it shouldn't be the (sole) responsibility of the consumer, which I agree with.
kafkaesq 9y ago
I bought a lead test kit for under 10 bucks when I was concerned about the paint in my house. Hmm. Of her device, the article says: The result is Tethys, a sensor-based device designed to detect lead in water faster than other techniques currently on the market. So have you considered the possibility that her device works differently (and perhaps better) than yours? You seem to be basically knocking her innovation, based on the fact that you once used a device that was "similar" in some way.
- gowld 9y ago
  Have you considered the possibility that is doesn't? and that a successful product on the market deserves more benefit of the doubt than a kid's science fair project? Usually what happens in these stories is that a kid makes something that is a pale imitation of current standards, and the parents use their industry connections to get a PR blast about their awesome kid, that gets the kid a leg up in college or getting a job, and the 'invention' is forgotten.
  - throwaway0255 9y ago
    > Usually what happens in these stories is that a kid makes something that is a pale imitation of current standards, and the parents use their industry connections to get a PR blast about their awesome kid, that gets the kid a leg up in college or getting a job, and the 'invention' is forgotten. I think what more often happens is one of the parents are almost entirely responsible for the project, and the kid understands it well but had little to do with its creation/invention/discovery. If not, then it's quite a coincidence that most of the kids in these stories just happen to have a parent who works in the same field their project was exploring. Then the parents use their connections to generate news stories about it. It works because these are harmless fluff pieces, and anyone casting doubt on the work of a supposed child is viewed as a cynical curmudgeon, so they mostly go uncontested. That gets them into a better college, then the project is forgotten and the kid does average from there on out. I remember a particularly egregious example of this from a few years ago, something about a 9-year-old raising millions of dollars and digging thousands of water wells in Sub-Saharan Africa. Clearly this is BS, but what kind of monster would point out the absurdity of that? These stories are pretty much always PR tactics by wealthy and/or connected parents to boost the profile of their kid.
    - ben_jones 9y ago
      Reminds me of [1]. It's tech's equivalent of the crazy mother pushing her children into beauty pageants. It should not be applauded (in many circumstances). [1]: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-17-year-old-that-yahoo-paid-30-million-was-renting-his-startups-core-technology-2013-3 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-17-year-old-that-yahoo-pa...
    - icebraining 9y ago
      I think what more often happens is one of the parents are almost entirely responsible for the project, and the kid understands it well but had little to do with its creation/invention/discovery. If not, then it's quite a coincidence that most of the kids in these stories just happen to have a parent who works in the same field their project was exploring. I don't understand, why can't the parents be helping and mentoring their kids, without necessarily doing the work for them? I'm a son of two voice actors, and have done some voice acting myself as a 12-year-old. No, it wasn't a coincidence, but I also guarantee you that my parents didn't act on my behalf! I just, you know, learned from them.
zacharycohn 9y ago
Testing for lead paint is not the same as testing for lead in water. There are test strips for lead testing water, but they're unreliable, unregulated, and not particularly trustworthy. The only great option right now is to call a lab who does water testing and work with them to send in a sample and have it tested via a method like induced plasma mass spectrometry. Unfortunately many of these labs aren't interested in working with individuals who will only send one or two samples. They prefer to work with companies that will send them hundreds of thousands of samples. Even if you found one willing to work with you, their business processes involve fax machines, invoices, and talking to sales people on the phone. (Related: That's why I started a company called http://www.testyourwaterforlead.com http://www.testyourwaterforlead.com. We started a company and partnered with a lab, we let you order online, pay with a credit card, and we deal with the lab to help you avoid the hassle.)
- davecap1 9y ago
  If you are in NYC you can test your water for free: http://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/service/1266/request-lead-test-kit-for-drinking-water http://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/service/1266/request-lead-...
  - zacharycohn 9y ago
    Yup! There are a number of great cities that offer free lead testing services. Unfortunately, it seems to be the exception - not the norm. And often these aren't the places that need it the most. Also, using city provided services can 6-8 weeks to get results. In an experiment I did with one city's free testing service, you had to call them to place your order. I got a voicemail. It took 4 months to get a call back. We provide results in less than 2 weeks from when you ship your water sample off to the lab.
- s0rce 9y ago
  Another option: I sent my home water to a labs (http://www.karlabs.com/ http://www.karlabs.com/) they were happy to work with individuals and even have a test kit to facilitate.
- 9y ago
invalidOrTaken 9y ago
As a kid who ended up not "changing the world," thanks.
- oh_sigh 9y ago
  What were you quasi famous for when you were young?
  - invalidOrTaken 9y ago
    Oh, I wasn't, outside of my small town. I did extremely well on standardized tests, is all. But I still got the "You need to go cure cancer" comments. Youthful insecurity made me latch on to any source of validation, and soon you have someone who lives under the premise that they have to be extremely successful to be a worthy human being. My nephew was just born with a trisomy similar to Down syndrome. If I can make his life better, I will count mine a success.
    - verylittlemeat 9y ago
      There's no shame in being intelligent and humble.
bmmayer1 9y ago
> Probably setting them up for failure How does covering an 11-year-old's accomplishments set them up for failure?
- verylittlemeat 9y ago
  Because getting nationwide press is a tough act to follow and no one wants to feel like they peaked at age 11. Kids typically aren't known for the kind of emotional maturity and perspective necessary to handle such self-esteem implications.

whipoodle 9y ago

Hmm. My take was more like, this is great and all but wouldn’t it be better if Americans didn’t have to test their water for lead?

jerkstate 9y ago
Well, somebody has to test water for lead, I think you're saying that it shouldn't be the (sole) responsibility of the consumer, which I agree with.

kafkaesq 9y ago

I bought a lead test kit for under 10 bucks when I was concerned about the paint in my house. Hmm. Of her device, the article says: The result is Tethys, a sensor-based device designed to detect lead in water faster than other techniques currently on the market. So have you considered the possibility that her device works differently (and perhaps better) than yours? You seem to be basically knocking her innovation, based on the fact that you once used a device that was "similar" in some way.

gowld 9y ago
Have you considered the possibility that is doesn't? and that a successful product on the market deserves more benefit of the doubt than a kid's science fair project? Usually what happens in these stories is that a kid makes something that is a pale imitation of current standards, and the parents use their industry connections to get a PR blast about their awesome kid, that gets the kid a leg up in college or getting a job, and the 'invention' is forgotten.
- throwaway0255 9y ago
  > Usually what happens in these stories is that a kid makes something that is a pale imitation of current standards, and the parents use their industry connections to get a PR blast about their awesome kid, that gets the kid a leg up in college or getting a job, and the 'invention' is forgotten. I think what more often happens is one of the parents are almost entirely responsible for the project, and the kid understands it well but had little to do with its creation/invention/discovery. If not, then it's quite a coincidence that most of the kids in these stories just happen to have a parent who works in the same field their project was exploring. Then the parents use their connections to generate news stories about it. It works because these are harmless fluff pieces, and anyone casting doubt on the work of a supposed child is viewed as a cynical curmudgeon, so they mostly go uncontested. That gets them into a better college, then the project is forgotten and the kid does average from there on out. I remember a particularly egregious example of this from a few years ago, something about a 9-year-old raising millions of dollars and digging thousands of water wells in Sub-Saharan Africa. Clearly this is BS, but what kind of monster would point out the absurdity of that? These stories are pretty much always PR tactics by wealthy and/or connected parents to boost the profile of their kid.
  - ben_jones 9y ago
    Reminds me of [1]. It's tech's equivalent of the crazy mother pushing her children into beauty pageants. It should not be applauded (in many circumstances). [1]: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-17-year-old-that-yahoo-paid-30-million-was-renting-his-startups-core-technology-2013-3 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-17-year-old-that-yahoo-pa...
  - icebraining 9y ago
    I think what more often happens is one of the parents are almost entirely responsible for the project, and the kid understands it well but had little to do with its creation/invention/discovery. If not, then it's quite a coincidence that most of the kids in these stories just happen to have a parent who works in the same field their project was exploring. I don't understand, why can't the parents be helping and mentoring their kids, without necessarily doing the work for them? I'm a son of two voice actors, and have done some voice acting myself as a 12-year-old. No, it wasn't a coincidence, but I also guarantee you that my parents didn't act on my behalf! I just, you know, learned from them.

zacharycohn 9y ago

Testing for lead paint is not the same as testing for lead in water. There are test strips for lead testing water, but they're unreliable, unregulated, and not particularly trustworthy. The only great option right now is to call a lab who does water testing and work with them to send in a sample and have it tested via a method like induced plasma mass spectrometry. Unfortunately many of these labs aren't interested in working with individuals who will only send one or two samples. They prefer to work with companies that will send them hundreds of thousands of samples. Even if you found one willing to work with you, their business processes involve fax machines, invoices, and talking to sales people on the phone. (Related: That's why I started a company called http://www.testyourwaterforlead.com http://www.testyourwaterforlead.com. We started a company and partnered with a lab, we let you order online, pay with a credit card, and we deal with the lab to help you avoid the hassle.)

davecap1 9y ago
If you are in NYC you can test your water for free: http://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/service/1266/request-lead-test-kit-for-drinking-water http://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/service/1266/request-lead-...
- zacharycohn 9y ago
  Yup! There are a number of great cities that offer free lead testing services. Unfortunately, it seems to be the exception - not the norm. And often these aren't the places that need it the most. Also, using city provided services can 6-8 weeks to get results. In an experiment I did with one city's free testing service, you had to call them to place your order. I got a voicemail. It took 4 months to get a call back. We provide results in less than 2 weeks from when you ship your water sample off to the lab.
s0rce 9y ago
Another option: I sent my home water to a labs (http://www.karlabs.com/ http://www.karlabs.com/) they were happy to work with individuals and even have a test kit to facilitate.
9y ago

invalidOrTaken 9y ago

As a kid who ended up not "changing the world," thanks.

oh_sigh 9y ago
What were you quasi famous for when you were young?
- invalidOrTaken 9y ago
  Oh, I wasn't, outside of my small town. I did extremely well on standardized tests, is all. But I still got the "You need to go cure cancer" comments. Youthful insecurity made me latch on to any source of validation, and soon you have someone who lives under the premise that they have to be extremely successful to be a worthy human being. My nephew was just born with a trisomy similar to Down syndrome. If I can make his life better, I will count mine a success.
  - verylittlemeat 9y ago
    There's no shame in being intelligent and humble.

bmmayer1 9y ago

> Probably setting them up for failure How does covering an 11-year-old's accomplishments set them up for failure?

verylittlemeat 9y ago
Because getting nationwide press is a tough act to follow and no one wants to feel like they peaked at age 11. Kids typically aren't known for the kind of emotional maturity and perspective necessary to handle such self-esteem implications.